


The Two Kings

by multilefaiye



Category: Borderlands (Video Games), Flight Rising
Genre: (it's not explicitly stated but he is), Alternate Universe - Dragons, Alternate Universe - Flight Rising, Gen, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Probably a little OOC, Siren Rhys (Borderlands), Tales From the Borderlands, Trans Rhys (Borderlands), catch me writing a tftbl fic six years late
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-07
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:40:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22594915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/multilefaiye/pseuds/multilefaiye
Summary: While the rest of the group sleeps for the night in their makeshift camp, Jack leads Rhys away to have a private conversation about their future plans.
Relationships: Handsome Jack & Rhys (Borderlands), Handsome Jack/Rhys (Borderlands)
Kudos: 27





	The Two Kings

**Author's Note:**

> what's up, my name's Multi and i bounce between fandoms and works like a damb ping pong ball. Wasted and The Strange Android aren't being abandoned, i just wanted to work on something else for a bit because i've suddenly become interested in Borderlands again.
> 
> so anyway, this is yet another Flight Rising AU because this is how I express my love for things I like..... by making them dragons......... anyway. this is a bit of a test for this AU because I have actually planned out.... most of the plot... but I don't want to commit to another full fic until I finish at least SOMETHING else here on my account. But I guess we'll see lmao, I've been thinking about this AU for years and I love it a whole lot.
> 
> Also! Since this takes place a good way into the story, there's some needed context for this AU. In this 'verse, Rhys is a siren who was brought into the clan Hyperion by chance shortly before Jack rose to power. A few months after Jack's death, Rhys was framed for the murder of Saul (Henderson) and exiled, and Vaughn went with him because he's a good boy. Also in this 'verse, Rhys doesn't have an ECHOeye or cybernetic limbs--instead, he's just got a REAL mangled and fucked-up foreleg from when he was exiled. Vasquez messed him up bad.
> 
> if there's anything i forgot to explain or you have any questions about, feel free to ask!!

Night in the Veridian Labyrinth was often dangerous, predators and rogues alike coming awake once the sun fell below the horizon. Yet, as the vagabonds rested deep within the endless jungle, they felt at peace. They were safe.

All except one, that was.

While the others in the group slept peacefully around the low, smoldering fire, Rhys was wide awake. His long tail was curled around himself, mangled forelimb cradled against his side as he stared into the fire.

Now that he had time to himself, he could allow his thoughts to wander, to ignore the world around him and finally relax.

At least, he could until he felt the cold sensation of a phantom claw tapping his shoulder.

Rhys flinched and yelped, turning his head to see Jack looming over him. There was an unreadable _something_ in the ghost’s eyes as he smirked down at Rhys. 

“Whatcha doing up, kiddo?” he asked, keeping his voice down for once. “Too antsy to get some shut-eye?”

Rhys didn’t respond, reflexively glancing over to where his companions were sleeping nearby.

Vaughn was sprawled out half a dozen paces or so from the fire, lying on his back with a smile on his face. Sasha and Fiona were curled up next to him, the sisters’ tails curled protectively around each other. Elbie was resting against a tree, the golem’s arms held in front of him to act as a bed for the sleeping Gortys--the little sprite’s wings fluttered as she slept, but otherwise, she showed no signs of waking soon.

The only dragon Rhys was worried about was Athena--the guardian had insisted on taking watch for the night, and as such she was the only one besides him still awake. Thankfully, though, she was standing some ways away, untrusting eyes glaring into the trees.

“Hey,” Jack said, sharper this time as he jabbed Rhys in the shoulder with a paw. Though he couldn’t physically touch the pearlcatcher, that certainly didn’t stop him from trying. “Talking to you, kid--don’t pretend you can’t hear me.”

“I can hear you just fine,” Rhys replied smoothly. “I was just hoping that, if I didn’t respond, you would leave me alone.” Jack barked a laugh, baring a grin of sharp, yellowed teeth.

“You know you love me, pumpkin,” the gaoler snorted. He nudged Rhys again, as though trying to shove the pearlcatcher to his feet. “Come on--let’s leave the peons alone, I wanna go for a walk.”

“Now?” Surely not--even if Rhys was more than capable of defending himself, everyone knew how dangerous the Labyrinth could be at night. Especially for dragons not native to the land.

“Yeeeeeah!” Jack said. “Come on, I wanna get to know my new partner without any _eavesdropping_ , y’know? Hard to have a godsdamn _conversation_ with this crowd around!” His long, armored tail. “Now, come on, pumpkin, moonlight’s wasting!”

Without waiting for Rhys to respond, he turned, stalking deeper into the trees with a confident swagger. Rhys stared after him a moment, mystified, before he looked back to the group. Athena’s ears seemed perked, but otherwise, none had stirred.

Rhys hesitated only a brief moment more before he sighed, resigned, and followed after him, limping slightly with each step.

“Where are you going?” Athena asked abruptly. Rhys flinched and whirled around to see the guardian staring at him, her fiery eyes narrowed in suspicion. He swallowed.

“Um,” he said hesitantly, “I’m just… going for a walk. Y-Y’know, getting some fresh air.” Her expression didn’t change and he began to sweat nervously as he continued. “I-I’m having a little trouble sleeping, so I thought, uh, that maybe going for a walk would help.”

“Alone?” Athena asked, narrowing her eyes further. “You know how dangerous that is, don’t you? Or are you more stupid than I thought?” Rhys bristled slightly at the insult, cheeks going red.

It didn’t help that Jack was still there, grinning at the pearlcatcher’s misfortune at having been caught. His eyes were glowing softly in the night, pinpricks of blue and green in the darkness.

Thank the stars that only Rhys could hear or see him.

“I’m not _stupid_!” Rhys protested. “I can take care of myself just fine.” Based on the expression on Athena’s face, she didn’t quite believe him. He huffed and said quickly, “Look, I-I’ll be back soon, okay? I’ll just be gone for a bit. If I don’t come back, just tell everyone I got eaten or something.”

Athena stared silently at him for a long moment, her face dark and her eyes calculating, before she finally sighed and flicked her fins.

“Fine,” she said, “go ahead. Just know that if anything happens I won’t be coming to save you.”

“Well, I wouldn’t need you to!” Rhys said petulantly. By this point, though, it was clear that Athena wasn’t listening, as she’d turned back to silently gaze out into the darkened forest opposite them. Rhys silently realized that he _probably_ shouldn’t push it and turned away to where Jack was waiting for him across the clearing, shit-eating grin in place.

“Nice,” Jack said. “Real smooth.”

“Shut _up_ ,” Rhys hissed under his breath. He followed Jack deeper into the trees, off the path and into the forest of the Labyrinth proper.

“Really, _impeccable_ acting there, cupcake,” Jack continued as the two walked further away from the clearing where the others slept. “Would’ve fooled me _easy_. Now, if we’re lucky, Athena won’t follow us and cut your friggin’ head off when she finds out who you’re hanging around with!”

“I get it,” Rhys said. “You don’t need to rub it in.” His ears were flat to his skull with embarrassment and his face was burning hot. Jack snorted and leaned close to him, rubbing his shoulders against the smaller dragon’s. Rhys shivered slightly at the sensation.

“Awwww, kiddo,” Jack cooed, “are you _embarrassed_?” Rhys wrinkled his nose and shook his head, causing Jack to cackle.

“It’s alright, pumpkin, I won’t tell anyone,” he said with a wink in Rhys’s direction. Despite himself, Rhys’s stomach fluttered slightly at the gesture. _Dammit._

After traveling with Jack bound to him for a few weeks now, the glamor of being around his long-time _hero_ had begun to fade. He still idolized Jack, of course, but he now had a chance to get to know the dragon behind the mask.

That is, he now understood how _annoying_ Jack could be when he really wanted to.

Not that that made him any less attracted to the gaoler. Ghost or not, Jack’s old moniker of handsome certainly still applied.

Rhys cleared his throat and shook his head to clear it. Nope. Not going to think about that right now.

“What did you want to talk about?” he asked instead. “Really, what was _so_ important that you had to drag me all the way out here?”

Jack, seemingly unbothered by the abrupt change in subject, simply grinned back at him and lashed his tail once more.

“Getting right to it, pumpkin?” he purred. “Alright, no complaints here.” He came to a stop a few steps from Rhys and turned to regard the smaller dragon. The two were standing in a small clearing in the trees, an empty, open space with soft dirt on the ground and sparse patches of grass. “I wanted to talk about what our plans are.”

“Our plans?”

“Yeah!” Jack nodded vigorously. “Y’know, our endgame! What are we doing out here, kiddo? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’ve had a _blast_ traveling around with you and your gaggle of losers for the past few weeks, but I think we can aim a little higher, y’know?”

“Like how?”

“Wow, you are just _full_ of questions tonight, aren’t you?” Jack snorted. “Well, I have a question for _you_. What do _you_ want out of all of this? Why are you even traveling with these peons, anyway?”

Rhys hesitated, flicking his ears as he thought about it. What _did_ he want out of all this? Originally, he and Vaughn had just been trying to find shelter in the Viridian Labyrinth after being thrown out of Hyperion, but ever since meeting Fiona and Sasha, those plans had fallen to the wayside. Then it had been about finding Gortys and the mysterious vault, but… really, what was _his_ goal?

It didn’t take long for him to figure it out. Memories of Hugo’s teeth sinking into him flashed through his mind just as phantom pain flashed through his mangled forelimb.

“I guess I want to just… find somewhere I can be safe,” he said finally. Jack didn’t say anything, so Rhys continued, stumbling over himself as he struggled to explain. “I just… I’ve never been safe, and that’s all I want. I just want to be safe where no one can hurt me or my friends again.”

At the end of it, Jack was smiling again, though it seemed he was almost… proud? Rhys couldn’t tell with him, most of the time.

“So you want to keep you and yours safe?” Jack said. “Well, I expected something a little taller, but I can work with that.” He stood up a little straighter, ghostly fur fluffed up. “Rhys, I know a way to get you everything you want--and more, even.”

Rhys narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “... How?”

“Oh, come on, don’t doubt me, sugar!” Jack purred. “Hasn’t Ol’ Jack always helped you when you needed it?”

Well… Rhys wouldn’t say Jack had _always_ been a big help, but he couldn’t argue that having Jack there hadn’t been a boon. Jack had protected them when things went wrong at the old Atlas outpost, had shown Rhys how to use his strange magic to protect them all from Hugo and August and their goons. Without him, Rhys wasn’t sure they would’ve made it out alive.

“I guess so,” he said finally. “But… what else can you do?”

Jack’s grin somehow grew ever-wider. “Oh, pumpkin, I can do _anything_. I’m Handsome godsdamn Jack, remember?” He snorted. “But, really, what you should be asking is what else _we_ can do--together.” The gaoler winked at him. “You and me, Rhys, we can take over the whole friggin’ world if we want.”

“I don’t want _that_ ,” Rhys pointed out, furrowing his brow. World domination was a Hyperion value, yes, but not one that Rhys had ever particularly shared. Jack rolled his eyes.

“I know _that_ , princess,” he drawled. “I was just giving you an example of what we _could_ accomplish.” Jack reached out and rested a freezing clawed hand on Rhys’s shoulder. Rhys tried not to shiver at the touch.

“Rhys, Rhysie,” he said, “I promise you, I can give you that safety you want, and _more_.”

“You… you can?” Rhys couldn’t quite keep the hopeful note out of his voice. Jack’s grin widened, crooked and pleased.

“Hell yeah, I can, pumpkin!” Jack barked out a laugh. “You just have to do something for me first.” He paused for a second, for dramatic effect. “Get me back to Hyperion, kiddo. We can overthrow that friggin’ douchebag Wallethead, make ourselves the damn kings.”

“I don’t want to be king, though…” Rhys trailed off at the sharp look Jack gave him, at the way the gaoler rolled his eyes and huffed.

“I know,” Jack said. “Boring as that is, you’ve made that clear. But, listen, kid, no one can hurt you when you’re king, right? No one will be able to tell you what to do, and you’ll have the power to keep you and yours safe. Just like you wanted.” Jack’s smile was all teeth. “Doesn’t that sound good?”

It definitely did.

“So I just have to get you to Hyperion?” That seemed a bit too easy. Jack was still a ghost, after all. What could he possibly do to help overthrow Hugo and take over his old clan once more?

Jack seemed to notice Rhys’s worried thoughts and sighed. “Rhysie, baby, I can hear those gears in your head turning!” he chuckled. He reached out with a claw and rested it on Rhys’s shoulder again, brushing against his neck. “Don’t worry, pumpkin, alright? I’ve got a plan. You just get your cute little ass to Hyperion and I’ll worry about the rest.”

Rhys’s face flushed, but not from the cold of Jack’s paw. He nodded. “Alright,” he murmured. “I… I trust you.”

Jack’s grin was all teeth. “Perfect!” he crowed. “I knew I could count on you, cupcake!” He moved his paw up from Rhys’s neck to his cheek, cupping it gently and weaving his spectral claws through the fur.

“Oh, we’ll be a fantastic pair of kings, you and I,” he cooed. “World won’t know what friggin’ hit ‘em.”

And Rhys believed him.

After a few moments, Jack withdrew his paw. “There’s one more thing I wanted to ask you about, pumpkin,” he said. “About that magic of yours…”

Rhys froze, looking at Jack uneasily. “What… what about it?” As much as he trusted Jack, he’d long-since learned that anyone showing more than a passing interest in his magic was bad news. Even Vaughn and Yvette had never asked about it, back when they were all in Hyperion.

Jack’s expression became sour and he rolled his eyes once again. “Oh, come on, princess, don’t get yourself all worked up over nothing. I’m _asking_ because we’re gonna need that magic of yours to take over Hyperion.” His voice softened as he continued, ghostly glowing eyes comforting as he met Rhys’s gaze.

“Rhys,” he said, “I promised you I’d get you that safety you wanted, right?” Rhys nodded hesitantly. “Right. And have I ever done anything to make you think I’d hurt you?”

Well, he _had_ tried to strangle Rhys when they first met, stopped only by the fact that he couldn’t actually _touch_ the other dragon.

Jack seemed to pick up on what he was thinking and quickly added, “Besides the almost-strangling, kiddo! Don’t worry, that won’t happen again. I mean, unless you _really_ annoy me, but I can’t kill my partner like that!”

Strangely enough, that was comforting to Rhys. If nothing else, he knew that Jack couldn’t actually hurt him even if he wanted to. Jack was _safe_.

“You haven’t,” Rhys agreed. He took a deep breath and sighed. “Alright… what do you want to use my magic for?”

“We’ll figure it out when we get there,” Jack assured him. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head, Rhysie.” He lashed his tail again and gestured with one paw to the clearing around them, flexing his wings. “Right now, I just wanna see what you can do, babe. Show off a bit, go wild.”

Rhys paused, glancing nervously around the clearing. Though the sounds of the Labyrinth’s inhabitants surrounded them, so Rhys knew they weren’t _really_ alone, the clearing was completely empty except for them. Still… Rhys had never used his magic before because he _wanted_ to, only ever when he had to in order to protect himself or someone else.

His powers were violent and destructive and he had very little control over them. If he wasn’t careful, he could hurt everyone around him.

But then again… Jack was a ghost. Rhys couldn’t hurt him any more than he could hurt Rhys.

“Come on, Rhys,” Jack goaded him. “You’re a siren! Just show me what you can do.” He looked around for a moment before he gestured to one of the trees nearby. It was an old-looking, tall tree with jagged branches like claws reaching towards the sky. “Here, use this thing. Focus your magic on this tree and show me what you can do with it.”

“Okay…” Rhys swallowed and stepped closer to the tree until he was only a few feet away. Jack moved to the side to watch, eagerness plain on his spectral face.

Rhys took a deep breath and let it out slowly, allowing his mental walls to fall as the magic surged through him. The blue markings on his face and body began to glow softly in the light and his eyes flashed a bright blue as he lifted his mangled forelimb in the air. In one motion, he slashed downwards, and the tree exploded in a burst of blue fire.

Startled, as he always was by his own magic, Rhys let out a cry of fear and jumped back, wings lifting to shield himself. Immediately, his mental walls lifted again and the magic receded, his markings’ glow fading as soon as it had begun. The tree was burning brightly, split right down the middle by Rhys’s magical claws.

“That was amazing!” Jack cried, a wide, manic grin on his face as he watched the fire crackle and pop. “Oh, Rhysie, baby, you’re even more amazing than I first thought!” Jack walked right over to Rhys and placed both paws on his shoulders, turning so he and the frantic pearlcatcher were eye-to-eye.

“R-Really?” Rhys asked. “But… stars, I didn’t think it’d be that bad.” He glanced back towards the tree. The fire was already dying down, leaving behind blackened, charred wood and ash.

“Bad?” Jack wrinkled his nose. “Rhysie, sweetheart, that was _incredible_. We can work with this! You just need to hone that power and we’ll really be able to use it.”

“That’s the problem!” Rhys frowned, wondering why Jack was so _excited_ when Rhys had _destroyed a fucking tree_. “I don’t know _how_ to hone it or control it. Every time I let my guard down, it does that!”

“Just leave it to Ol’ Jack, then,” Jack said, his enthusiasm not dampened in the slightest. “We’ll figure it out, okay, pumpkin? Don’t you worry about a thing.” Rhys’s concern must have still shown on his face because Jack lifted a paw to pat his cheek a few times. “Hey. Rhysie. Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” Rhys said without hesitation. Jack’s smile softened slightly.

“Good,” he said, “that’s good, Rhysie. That’s all you need-- _trust_. Just trust me, kiddo.” Rhys was quiet a moment before he finally nodded shakily.

“Okay,” Rhys whispered. “I… I trust you.”

Before Jack could reply, there was a sound from nearby. Heavy footsteps approaching fast. Rhys turned his head to see a bulky shape making its way towards them, and after a moment he realized it was Athena.

The guardian had a scowl on her face as she approached, but Rhys saw the way her eyes widened slightly at the sight of the burned tree.

“What in the hell happened here?” she asked. Rhys froze. He glanced back towards the tree reflexively, and he saw that Jack had disappeared. Fuck. Of course.

“Um, I-I don’t know!” Rhys said quickly, stumbling over himself in his haste to explain away the charred remains of the tree. “It just… burst into flame.”

Athena stared at him for a long moment, clearly trying to determine if he was lying. Rhys swallowed nervously.

“Trees don’t do that,” she said slowly. “Something had to have done that.” She flicked her fins and glanced around, eyes narrowed. “Are you sure you didn’t see anything?” Rhys nodded, and Athena sighed.

“Alright,” Athena said, “I’ll believe you.” Rhys sagged slightly in relief, which Athena must have noticed, but she didn’t say anything, thankfully. “Come back to camp, Rhys. It’s not safe out here alone, especially if whatever did _that_ is still around.” Her tone was carefully neutral as she spoke, but it allowed for no arguments.

“Alright, but I thought you said you weren’t coming to save me if anything happened,” Rhys said in confusion as he got to his feet to follow her.

Athena didn’t respond, just turned around and began leading the way back towards camp. Rhys took the cue and followed close behind her with his head low and ears flat, feeling all the world like a pup that had gotten in trouble with their dam.

As he followed her back through the trees towards their temporary camp, he saw a flickering at the edge of his vision. Rhys turned his head to see Jack was back, walking just behind him with a smirk on his face.

Jack winked at him and Rhys smiled, face going a little warm again in a way he tried to pretend was just the chill of the night.

Trust.

Trust was all they needed.


End file.
